Evaluation of the Parasitic Contamination of Vegetables from Farms and Markets in Owerri, Imo State

This study was carried out to evaluate the parasitic contamination of vegetables from some selected farms and markets in Owerri, Imo State. A total of 100 samples of vegetables were evaluated. The types of vegetables include: tomato, okra, cucumber, garden egg, pepper, uziza, utazi, water leaf, ukazi and pumpkin leave. Fifty (50) samples of vegetables were collected randomly from farms and markets respectively within Owerri. Samples were washed in saline, and the resulting washing solution was filtered and centrifuged to concentrate the parasitic stages. Sediment were examined by wet preparation, sedimentation techniques and modifies ziehl Nelson stained smears. Intestinal parasites were detected in 50 samples. The total prevalence of intestinal parasites was 55%. The result from the farms has a total prevalence (62%) with a p. value 0.223. onyeanaekiri farm has the highest prevalence (41.9%), followed by Hope nana farm (32.3%) and 25.8% for Chibu farm. The result from the markets has a total prevalence of 48% with a p. value 0.199. Umuapu market has the highest prevalence of (37.5%) followed by Eke Umar (33.3%) while releave market (29.9%). The result from the different methods employed shows a total percentage of (55%) with a p.value of 0.157. The sedimentation technique has the highest percentage (58.2%) while wet preparation (41.8%). Hookworm were the most prevalent parasite (16%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (13%), Acaris lumbricoides (10%), Trichuris trichura (6%), Enterobuis vermicularis (3%), while Fasciola hepatica, schistosoma haematobium and balatidium coli have (2%) and Taenia spp. (1%). The highest contaminated vegetable was pumpkin leaves (26%), followed by water leaf (11%), and ukazi (5%), and uziza, tomato, utazi (3%) respectively, garden egg (2%) while 0kra and pepper (1%) respectively. This finding provides evidence for the high risk of acquiring parasitic infection from the consumption of raw vegetables in Owerri, Imo State. Effective measures are necessary to reduce parasitic contamination of vegetables.